Manufacturers are Cutting the Cord On Their Window Treatments

As of December 2018, newly manufactured stock window coverings should not use cords or have short, inaccessible pull cords. Sunburst embraces this decision, as it comes after conversations between the Window Covering Manufacturers Association and the American National Standards Institute, and encompasses any pre-manufactured window coverings. And while the new safety regulations don’t recall already purchased window treatments, some people in Miami have used the regulations as a chance to change to cordless window treatments.

 

Why The New Window Treatment Safety Standards?

In the past few decades, window treatment cords have been deemed one of the Top 5 Hidden Hazards In The Home by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Young children and infants can get tangled up in the cords, resulting in injury or strangulation, with one study finding that there were almost 17,000 window cord injuries over a fifteen-year period. External cord safety products, like cord cleats and fasteners, attempted to alleviate the hazard, but consumers did not utilize them as universally as anticipated.

What Do The New Requirements Cover?

Every stock (ready-made) window covering made for stores or online should now be cord-free or have inaccessible cords. This includes over 80% of all window covering products marketed in the United States and Canada. Custom-made coverings do not have the same restrictions; however, cords can only hang down to 40% the length of the covering and must default to a tilt rod rather than a tilt cord. These requirements are only on window coverings made after December 19, 2018, and current shades and blinds have not been recalled.

What Are Your Options For Cordless Window Treatments?

With the new standards, consumers are now looking at different cordless choices when acquiring or replacing their blinds and shades. Let’s look at a few window treatments that don’t use cords:

• Plantation Shutters: These family-friendly treatments cover the window with thick louvers and usually employ a center tilt-rod. Shutters can be seen as the sturdiest window covering option and are manufactured with either natural wood or a faux wood composite that won’t warp, crack, splinter, or chip. There has never been a cord on plantation shutter, so this product has always been considered child-safe.

• Barn Door Shutters: Instead of raising vertically with a cord or tilt rod, barn door shutters attach to a track above the window frame and slide horizontally. You can open the panels a bit to let light through, or open them completely apart for a different look.

• Cordless Shades and Blinds: Some shades and blinds have altered their mechanics so they can use hidden cords that shouldn’t hang loose. Other treatments use motors, which raise and lower coverings via remote control. Some shades simply raise or lower to their desired height by tugging the bottom bar. These treatments come in a variety of colors, textures, and patterns, and has several semi-translucent fabrics that give you the feel of sheer draperies.
  

Sunburst Can Help You Cut The Cord On Window Treatments

If you’re looking to upgrade from corded shades and blinds with a safer option, your Miami Sunburst representative is here to help. We have many cordless options, and we can guide you in finding one that works best for your rooms. Book your no cost in-home consultation by calling 305-520-7515 now.